Orientation Quaternion Norm Correction in SINS Algorithms: Calculation Normalization Schemes and Their Efficiency

Abstract

The problem of correcting the norm of the computed orientation quaternion in the algorithms for the operation of strapdown inertial navigation systems is considered. Two existing approaches to the correction process are considered, the first approach is to normalize the rotation quaternion at the computation cycle, the second approach is to normalize the resulting quaternion. 5 well-known calculation schemes for norm correction are given. To simulate the test motion, we used an analytical quaternion kinematic rotation model based on a sequence of three rotations corresponding to the Krylov angles. The case of linear dependence of elementary rotation angles on time is considered. The model provides analytical representation of the projections of the angular velocity vector of the rigid body on the associated axes and the corresponding quasi-coordinates on the calculation cycle. The results of numerical simulation of the reference motion for a given set of frequencies are presented as dependences of the projections of the angular velocity vector of the rigid body on time and the constructed trajectories in the configuration space of the orientation parameters.
 To determine the rotation quaternion on a cycle, the Miller algorithm was used, which makes it possible to obtain an increase in the orientation vector based on ideal information from the angular velocity sensors in the form of quasi-coordinates. The transformation into a rotation quaternion occurs with the help of the corresponding expansions of the trigonometric functions of the true rotation angle (modulus of the orientation vector) in a series.
 Based on a numerical experiment, it is shown that the best result of correcting the norm of the calculated quaternion in the sense of the minimum error of the norm is given by one of the finite normalization schemes, for which there is no division operation and ensures the stability of the norm correction in time. The results of numerical simulation of the model rotational motion of a rigid body and the development of schemes for correcting the norm of the calculated orientation quaternion are presented.
 Keywords: orientation quaternion, Miller's orientation algorithm, SINS, norm error, computational drift, analytical reference model, quasi-coordinates, numerical simulation.